KEESEVILLE, N.Y. -
Police say three men who killed a widowed father of two are in custody. We first told you about the death of Robert Rennie at the end of August. Police knew from the beginning that it was a homicide, and now, they say they know who did it.
39 year old Paul Taylor was charged with second degree murder. 36 year old Michael Rivers and 19 year old Scott Denno were charged with first degree manslaughter. All three pleaded not guilty to being responsible for 45 year old Robert Rennie's brutal death.
"He was kicked numerous times by the defendants. One of the defendants had steel toe boots, which caused devastating internal injuries," Vermont State Police Captain Robert LaFountain said.
"Nobody ever deserves to go like that," Rennie's niece Nicole Peluso said.
I spoke with Rennie's family back in August, so I stopped by the house Friday to see how they'd taken the news... but they hadn't heard arrests had been made.
"They made three arrests," Peluso said to someone on the phone. Rennie's niece immediately started making phone calls, two of the accused killers were known to her.
"Paul Taylor I guess was going out with Robert's ex," Peluso said.
The family thinks that love triangle was the motive. Michael Rivers had been a friend since grade school.
"I actually grew up with Mike Rivers, Scott Denno, I don't know," Peluso said.
Paul Taylor was actually arrested hours after Rennie's body was found for an unrelated rape charge, but because he had recently been released from prison for a manslaughter conviction, he's been in custody ever since. The other two were under close police surveillance until enough evidence was collected. Rennie's niece wishes New York had the death penalty.
"My feeling is an eye for an eye, you took the only thing these girls had," Peluso said.
Rennie's body was found under a bridge in Keeseville, but police don't believe it's where he was killed. Regardless, there are still flowers there in his memory.
"We can finally say we put him to rest," Peluso said as she choked back tears.
Robert Rennie had two young daughters. Their mother also died a few years back from a medical condition. The girls are in the custody of family.
The suspects are facing 25 years to life in prison.
